Yarn carriers of circular knitting



Nov. 25, 1958 K. E. HOEFER 2,861,442

YARN CARRIERS OF CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed June 10, 1955 2/ I 'I I l Z3\: I 22 1 I l I INVENTOR. KARL ERA/E57 HOEFEQ BY GLIMJI QM United States Patent 6 "ice YARN CARRIERS OF CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Kari Ernest Hoefer, Rivervale, N. J., assignor to Ernest A. Feustel, Paramus, N. J.

Application June 10, 1955, Serial No. 514,627

1 Claim. (Cl. 66-125) This invention relates to circular hosiery knitted machines and refers more particularly to yarn carriers which convey the yarn to the knitting elements of such machines.

An object of this invention is to improve prior constructions and to provide a yarn carrier which will be most efiective in operation and use and which will prevent loss of production in the course of operation of circular hosiery knitting machines.

Another object is the provision of a yarn carrier which can be readily removed and replaced by a new one whenever necessary.

A further object is the provision of a yarn carrier which fits firmly and securely upon its carrying arm and which, nevertheless, can be easily and conveniently removed whenever necessary.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

In attaining the objects of the present invention, it was found desirable to provide a combination of a specific carrying arm with a yarn conveying tube of a specific form. The yarn carrying arm has upon its outer end a pair of jaws having an inner elongated slotted portion so that the jaws can be conveniently spread outwardly by a suitable tool. Close to this slot are located two semi-circular portions which are adapted to embrace a separate tube when the jaws are closed. The tube of the present invention includes a recessed portion adapted to be engaged by a separate resilient end portion of the tubular members.

This arrangement provides a particularly effective connection between the tube and the arm and yet the tube can be quickly and easily removed from the arm in the event of breakage or the like.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing showing by way of example a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side view of a yarn carrier constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a section along the line 22 of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a side view of the tube on an enlarged scale.

The construction shown in the drawings consists essentially of a yarn carrying arm 10 of a specific form and a yarn conveying tube 11 also of specific form. The yarn carrying arm 10 has the usual wire loop 12 and an outer end 13. In accordance with the present invention, the end 13 of the arm 10 has an elongated slot 14 which extends from an inner round opening 15 to the outer end 16 of the arm. A portion of the slot 14 is in com- 2,861,442 Patented Nov. 25, 1958 munication with a recess 17 having cylindrical inner walls and adapted to receive the tube 11.

Furthermore, the outer end of the arm portion 13 carries two curved tubular portions 18 and 19 located on opposite sides of the slot 14 and forming jaws which are adapted to embrace the tube 11.

Close to the end 16 of the arm, a slot 20 is cut through adjacent portions of the tubular members 18 and 19, thereby adding additionally resiliency to the arm. The slot 20 is approximately one half of the circumference in length.

The tube 11 includes two portions 21 and 22 of substantially equal size which are separated by a recessed portion 23.

The operation of the device is apparent from the above description. The jaws 18 and 19 can be spread apart for the insertion or removal of the tube 11 by any suitable tool not shown in the drawings and consisting, by way of example, of a flat blade which is somewhat thinner than the slot 14 and which can be inserted into the slot 14 in the space between the hole 15 and the tubular jaws 18 and 19. Then the blade can be turned so as to spread the jaws apart for the removal or insertion of the tube 11.

When the tube 11 is located in position, its recessed portion 23 is engaged by the portions 24 and 25 of the tubular members 18 and 19 which are located between the slot 20 and the outer end 16 of the arm. The width of these portions 24 and 25 is somewhat less than that of the recessed portion 23 of the tube. Furthermore, these portions 24 and 25 may be bent somewhat more than other parts of the members 18 and 19 so as to provide a better grip.

The portion 21 of the tube, 11 fits snugly in the recess 17 provided in the arm 10, while the portion 22 projects outwardly beyond the end 16 of the arm.

It is apparent that the tube 11 of the described construction has the further advantage that it is readily reversible, since the parts 21 and 22 of the tube are obviously interchangeable. The recessed portion 23 of the tube 11 provides a particularly ettective gripping connection, while the provision of the slot 14 makes it possible to replace the tubes at will.

It is apparent that the example shown above has been given solely by way of illustration and not by way of limitation and that it is subject to many variations and modifications within the scope of the present invention. All such and other variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

In circular hosiery knitting machines, a yarn carrier for a thread-guiding tube having a recess intermediate to its ends, said yarn carrier having an outer arm end and two opposedsemi-cylindrical jaws upon said outer end of the arm, said jaws having formed intermediate the ends thereof a slot extending transversely to the direction of said arm and separating the jaws into inner and outer pairs of jaw portions, said outer pair of jaw portions fitting over the recess of said thread-guiding tube, said outer end having formed therein an elongated slot separating said jaws, and extending in the direction of said arm, and a recess located adjacent to said jaws and adapted to receive an end of a tube held by said aws.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,720,096 Feustel et a1 Oct. 11, 1955 

